Maxway building

Camden City Council was scheduled yesterday to take second reading on a proposal to purchase the former Maxway building in the downtown business district, with plans to raze the decaying structure and build a small park. The building, located at the corner of Broad and Rutledge Street, has stood unoccupied for years and has become an eyesore. It’s presently owned by Redwood Homes LLC, which has agreed to sell it to the city for $65,000. It will take about twice that amount to demolish the structure and perform asbestos removal and abatement.

The plans for a “pocket park” there were not scheduled to be addressed by council, but funding might come from the hospitality tax, which seems an appropriate use of such money since the area is one of the first things that greets visitors as they drive into Camden from I-20. We’ve said before that the entire project sounds like a worthwhile one, and nothing has changed our mind in the interim.

With the “road diet” under consideration and attention focused on improving the downtown area and the business opportunities there, this is a good time to move forward with this project. It will make Camden a more enticing place for visitors and a more attractive one for the city’s residents.